the challenge to educate.

Pardon me, I'll be writing in two languages in this entry.

Wohaaa. It has been a while since my last entry. I've been tied up with so many things - mostly with my studies and work. Although my last entry was my rage on students, nevertheless it never ends there. Each and every semester, there will be more challenges coming. 

It's never an easy task to educate children. I refer my students as children (though they are older) because in a way, I honestly feel like I'm responsible towards their future. I want them to have better lives, and I want them to be able to survive.

The world is cruel, and boy if they aren't well prepared they will definitely be drowning. Yet, life has so much to offer and they have to realize that despite the evilness, there are beauties in it. Ish apalah yang I merepek ni hahahaha.

Up to one point, when I expect too much I tend to be heartbroken because they are just behaving like children. Students, they lie to your face. And sometimes even rude. Questioning and giving statements that may hurt your pride and heart. But what can I do? They are just humans. How I wish they would be more sensible before they do things and say things. But I myself was once young, and stupid. 

I may not be religious in the eyes of my students, but I mean no harm to them. Takkan ada guru yang dengan sengaja mahu menyesatkan anak didiknya. I may not use the right method or perhaps my way of teaching differs than others - but that's just me.

As much as it is unfair to ask them to accept me the way I am while I'm declining to accept them the way they are, so I'm offering my humblest apology to all my students that I was so furious at yesterday.

But again, please be reminded that I am different and I teach differently. I may be graduated in TESL, but my journey and aim do not revolve around that matter only. I want students to have broad mindset, and be practical. Life is so much more than what you learn from the textbooks.

To begin with, you must learn how to respect people. Bagus jika awak berniat untuk menegur, untuk menjadikan kehidupan lebih baik. Tapi biar berhemah caranya. Mempersoalkan sesuatu, atau menyatakan pendapat tanpa mendengar keseluruhan hujah pada saya cetek orangnya. Before you can basically judge people, give them a chance to defend or make things clear. 

Dunia seorang pelajar matlamatnya pelbagai. Selain menimba ilmu berkaitan subjek yang diambil, pelajar juga perlu membina jati diri sebagai pertahanan diri yang kuat. Pelajar harus didedahkan dengan persekitaran yang mencabar sebagai persiapan untuk dunia yang semakin hari semakin mencabar. 

Kita minta awak kerja dalam kumpulan ada wanita, ada lelaki bukan sebab kita nak awak bergaul bebas. Bukan sebab kita nak suruh awak berzina. Kita nak awak belajar bagaimana mengawal diri bila persekitaran begitu wujud nanti. Kita nak ajar awak macam mana nak guna bahasa tubuh. Nak ajar awak bagaimana komunikasi berlaku hanya dengan tubuh badan. 

Pemikiran kita jangan disingkatkan. Benar, semua pun sepatutnya mengaji al-Quran dan patut mengamalkan, memahami segala isi di dalamnya. Awak hebat, saya akui. Saya pun tak sebagus awak sebab saya cuma mengajar Bahasa Inggeris. Tapi kita orang Islam; Islam itu agama indah. Jangan dicemarkan dengan sikap terus menghukum tanpa penilaian yang mendalam.

Puas saya berfikir dari semalam - sayakah yang tersilap? atau awak? Tapi hari ini saya dapat jawapannya. Kita dua ada pendapat masing-masing. Saya hormatkan pendapat awak. Awak cuma anak muda yang masih jauh perjalanannya. Masih banyak kena belajar. But all that I ask, is for you to begin with respecting others. And seek for more knowledge. 

Dan saya, mungkin patut belajar terima pemikiran awak tu. A bit hard, but still doable. May you get whatever you wish in life, boy.

Sebagai seorang pendidik, there's nothing more we could ask than seeing our students happy and be successful.